From digital beauty makeovers to perfume layering, here is what to look out for at Singapore’s first Gucci Beauty flagship store at ION Orchard
When Gucci’s former creative head Alessandro Michele dressed 68 pairs of twins in matching outfits for his Spring-Summer 2023 show at Milan Fashion Week, my mind was blown away by his unconventional wisdom and creativity. It became the most talked-about event in fashion history and showcased Michele’s vision for Gucci during his tenure — disruptive, inclusive and engaging.
These codes and ideals also extend to the Maison’s make-up line, Gucci Beauty, which was relaunched worldwide in 2017 (and 2019 in Singapore). Working with global make-up artist Thomas De Kluyver, Michele applied his eclectic style to the collection of boudoir-worthy make-up offerings that give off Old Hollywood vintage nostalgia.
With its history steeped in couture, Gucci Beauty rolled out lipsticks first, as the Maison felt lips are the best expression of beauty. It opened with a generous collection of 60 lipsticks spread across four textures and finishes. The bestselling shade was and still is Goldie Red 25.
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Today, the beauty house carries makeup spanning eye colours, nail polish, base makeup, and some skincare products like a nourishing balm and face mist. One of the most popular products in Asia is the cushion compact – a lightweight foundation designed for warmer weather.
“Gucci Beauty has a mission to challenge the definition of beauty, to encourage authenticity and celebrate diversity. It firmly believes beauty lies in imperfection, and isn’t about conforming to somebody else’s ideal. It’s about inclusion and liberating everyone to shine in their unique way. It is all about embracing individuality and to wear colours that make you feel good,” says Guilhem Widmer, senior vice president Asia Pacific of Coty — Gucci's global beauty licensee.
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To fully understand the creative ethos and eclectic codes of the brand, one need only visit Gucci Beauty’s newly-launched flagship boutique at ION Orchard. The first standalone store to open in Singapore, the brightly-lit showroom stands out in a sea of monochromatic retail outlets with its glamorous finishings, floral prints and Gucci furniture, juxtaposed against pretty-in-pink walls, mirrored tiles and red parquet flooring.
There, you can discover the complete line of Gucci Beauty makeup, alongside its well-known men’s and women’s fragrances, including the latest launches - Flora Gorgeous Jasmine Collection as well as the Blush en Beauté line of blushes.
With the plethora of beauty offerings widely available in the market today, it’s hard to keep beauty junkies loyal as they move quickly from brand to brand. Amidst a competitive market with new products, new formulation, and new packaging, there’s also the challenge of keeping them engaged through meaningful interactions and compelling marketing propositions. That is where digitalisation comes into play at Gucci Beauty’s uber modern boutique.
To offer something different for the customer, the store will offer an omnichannel experience with digital touchpoints such as QR codes and interactive tables and screens that allow access to Gucci games, apps, and boutique shopping features that support in-store discovery.
While video walls play the latest campaign videos, customers can sample virtual makeovers on AI-enabled tablets. Another fun feature is the interactive fragrance bar where you can place a perfume on a digital pad and it will pull up all the information on the product for you to read on-screen. One can also discover the art of layering perfume with Gucci’s premium perfume collection, Alchemist Garden.
Additionally, customers are given the option to have monograms engraved on their Gucci Beauty products. Embroidery service for your beauty pouches is also available.
Does Gucci Beauty have any intention to move into the skincare sphere? Widmer replies: “It is something that we are thinking about, but not for the short term. We’ve only been around for five years. What we want to do is primarily continue developing our fragrances and makeup businesses. We believe that we still have a lot of incredible things to do in this category and have some incredibly exciting things that are coming soon.”
Although Widmer is unable to share what new product launches are to be expected in the coming year, he reports that Coty is stepping up on its sustainability goals for fragrances. “Our ambition is to move into upcycled fragrance. The idea is that we will become the first company to sell fragrances derived from upcycling technology. Instead of creating carbon emission, we will absorb carbon emissions by producing fragrances!”
